Funny how attempts at congressional ethics reform keep running into roadblocks like Rep. Jack Murtha. The Pennsylvania Democrat and chair of the House defense appropriations subcommittee is best known in this context as the man who once called the ethics package "total crap." He represents an economically depressed corner of southwest Pennsylvania whose largest city, Johnstown, has lost 5 percent of its population since 1990. Not even considering the man's unique personal qualities, one senses where this earmark story is headed.

"Murtha has almost  but not quite  single-handedly created a new economy in his district," concludes Roll Call this week in an overview of the lawmaker's earmarking activities. Frequently, the money "is for startups that essentially would not be in business were it not for Murtha's largesse." In other cases, the pattern shows Mr. Murtha inserting an earmark, after which a company opens a Johnstown office, which in many cases then goes neglected, or never quite grows. In the case Roll Call highlights, an Indiana, Pa., groundbreaking for Rockville, Md.-based Aeptec Microsystems is all glory at the outset. Years later, the building is nearly unoccupied a month after its opening. Meanwhile, the firm's federal contracts, as secured through Mr. Murtha's earmarks, mushroom.

"The pattern that appears dominant is that the companies' federal contract dollars expand shortly after they open an office in the 12th Congressional {bullet}istrict  though it is not entirely clear how much of their work is actually conducted in the district," the newspaper concludes.

With Murtha Inc. calling the shots on defense appropriations, some are chortling that he fancies himself a kind of taxpayer-backed venture capitalist operating in service to his job-hungry district. To judge by the fruits, though, the unindicted "Abscam" coconspirator could not be considered a very successful "venture capitalist." We'd stick...

I worked on projects in Murtha’s district before. Murtha brings in tons of money that only string is that the money is spent in his district. Murtha sticks all kinds of add on dollars in to the budget whose sole purpose is to bring money into Johnstown. I think he even funnels contracts to companies his relatives have interest in. Murtha is the most corrupt SOB in Congress, and that is saying something.

A veteran Pennsylvania congressman notorious for sneaking massive earmarks into federal spending bills used his power as chairman of a powerful House Defense committee to steer millions of dollars in federal contracts to companies represented by a pair of lobbying firms closely associated with him and his brother.

Representative John Murtha, the Democrat chairman of the U.S. House Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, has also steered millions of dollars in earmarks to companies that are not even located in the area he represents even though earmark dollars are supposed to go to projects in the lawmakers home district.

The companies were however, represented by the lobbying firms connected to Murtha and his brother, who worked for one of them. Once the out-of-state companies receive their taxpayer dollars via earmarks, Murtha steers lucrative federal contracts their way and business booms.

One example is a Maryland technology firm called Aeptec Microsystems. Although he doesnt represent Maryland, Murtha pursued millions of dollars worth of legislative earmarks for the company and its federal contracts subsequently blossomed from about $13 million in 2000 to $33 million in 2004.

Murtha is famous for wasting taxpayer dollars by allocating millions in hidden earmarks for his pet projects. Even in the wake of so-called congressional earmark reform, he has exploited loopholes to secure the passage of illegitimate earmarks in bills that involve intelligence activities.

He recently lied to fellow lawmakers to secure a $23 million earmark for an obscure drug intelligence center in his hometown of Johnstown Pennsylvania. The Office of the Director of National Intelligence had already ordered the center be closed for poor performance and Justice Department officials confirmed there was no plan to continue operating the center. Yet Murtha falsely claimed that the facility was to take charge of the vitally important terrorist no-fly list to secure the money.

Judicial Watch is a non-partisan, educational foundation dedicated to fighting government and judicial corruption and promoting a return to ethics and morality in our nation's public life. To view the Judicial Watch Internet site click here (www.judicialwatch.org).

9
posted on 06/26/2007 12:05:24 PM PDT
by smoothsailing
("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction"--President Ronald Reagan)

Thanks for that post, Smooth. I’ve spent some time looking over donations from a few people but have a long way to go. Here’s a list from PMA employees from the state of VA and I’m sure there’s many more.

The PMA Group was founded by Paul Magliochetti, a former staffer on the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee where John Murtha is the Chairman, and specializes in defense earmarks.

The PMA Group is the sixth highest campaign contributor to Murtha's congressional career giving $105,500 since 1989. Murtha has helped secure millions in earmarks for the clients of the PMA Group, which also happen to be some of his top career campaign contributors.

11
posted on 06/26/2007 12:33:21 PM PDT
by smoothsailing
("Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction"--President Ronald Reagan)

Disclaimer:
Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual
posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its
management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the
exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.